Podcast Summary: Scary Stories and Rain Episode: Scary Stories For A Rainy Night - Ep. 197 - A Smile In The Dark
Host/Author: Being Scared
Release Date: August 14, 2025

Scary Stories and Rain, hosted by Being Scared, presents true and chilling accounts set against the soothing backdrop of steady rainfall. Episode 197, titled A Smile In The Dark, weaves multiple eerie narratives that delve into personal traumas, unexplained phenomena, and unsettling encounters. Below is a detailed summary capturing the key points, discussions, insights, and conclusions from the episode.

1. Dean's Father's Tragic Accident at the Quarry

Timestamp: [00:42] - [07:55]

Dean recounts a harrowing story from the late 1960s when his father, Dean, was a young boy growing up in a rural Canadian town. The family, grappling with poverty, often left the children unsupervised, leading to frequent misadventures.

On a warm summer evening, Dean and his three friends—Thomas, Will, and Jason—decided to play at a local quarry. Thomas, the oldest, suggested climbing the tallest sand dune. During one of their playful slides, an unexpected avalanche of heavy sand engulfed the boys:

Thomas: "Their cheers turned into screams of horror."
Narrator: "With Thomas came an avalanche of heavy sand engulfing the three boys entirely." [02:37]

Thomas survived by landing at the bottom but found his friends buried alive. Desperate, he sought help from Dean, who rushed home only to be dismissed by his parents. Undeterred, Dean returned to the quarry to find authorities already present, but tragically, Will and Jason were declared deceased. This traumatic event left Dean without the necessary support, leading to ongoing struggles with loss and a lack of closure.

2. Dean's Nighttime Walk and the Mysterious Chase

Timestamp: [05:03] - [14:40]

In another spine-chilling tale, Dean describes an unsettling experience during a nighttime walk. Seeking solitude, he ventured up a hill near his home but soon found himself in near darkness with his phone’s flashlight dwindling:

Dean: "I thought the person might be trying to get my attention, so I waited at the top for them to catch up to me." [05:52]

A mysterious figure with frizzy dark hair, a heavy coat despite the warm weather, and an eerie humming sound began to approach. As fear set in, Dean attempted to escape, leading to a frantic chase through dimly lit trails and shadowed landscapes. Although the pursuer eventually fell, Dean's fear persisted, reinforced by the absence of any tangible evidence and his parents’ disbelief of his ordeal.

Dean: "Now I refuse to walk alone at night and I highly recommend that you don't either." [07:57]

3. Mail Carrier's Strange Encounters in California

Timestamp: [14:26] - [27:18]

Dean transitions to a narrative about a mail carrier in California facing numerous unsettling encounters on his delivery route. Amidst the picturesque suburban neighborhoods, the mail carrier frequently interacts with an elderly neighbor, Mrs. Lythgoe, who reports strange activities at a recently purchased house.

The mail carrier shares eerie incidents, such as:

• Blood-Leaking Bag: While delivering a stack of packages, he accidentally kicked a garbage bag containing a blood-filled jar and a creepy doll, which emanated a foul smell. Despite wanting to report it, fear held him back.

Dean: "I thought about calling the police, but honestly I was afraid to, so I talked myself out of it." [10:25]

• Strange Residents: The homeowners appear reclusive, with odd behaviors like screaming and billowing pink smoke from the house. A particularly disturbing encounter involved a stocky man in a spandex suit wielding a weapon.

Dean: "As I raced down the driveway and back into my truck, I could now fully see the man holding his weapon yelling I kill." [14:26]

Despite reporting these incidents, the mail carrier receives little support from his supervisor, intensifying his distress and skepticism about the supernatural elements at play.

4. Encounter with "The Beast" and Corrupted GoPro Footage

Timestamp: [27:34] - [33:57]

In a tale blending technology and the unknown, Dean narrates an experience of witnessing the Boeing X37B Orbital Test Vehicle. Setting up his lawn chair for stargazing, he observes a glowing orb moving swiftly across the sky, which he believes to be the craft mentioned online.

Mere moments later, his GoPro camera, unintentionally left recording, captures a large dark silhouette approaching his truck. The figure, resembling an 8-foot-tall animal with glowing red eyes, manifests briefly before disappearing. When Dean attempts to review the footage, it appears corrupted, erasing any proof of the encounter.

Dean: "I firmly believe that no technical error with my GoPro could have possibly turned it on at that exact right moment to capture the Beast." [22:26]

This incident leaves Dean convinced of a malevolent presence intent on preventing him from revealing the truth.

5. Sleep Paralysis and the Vision of Scar

Timestamp: [22:55] - [26:34]

Dean delves into a personal nightmare involving sleep paralysis. After a seemingly normal evening with his boyfriend, Dean experiences vivid hallucinations as he drifts into sleep. A menacing figure resembling Scar from The Lion King appears in his bedroom, delivering a cryptic message before Dean jolts awake to his mother's concerned call.

Dean: "Scar has only come back twice since I have moved and sometimes randomly I can still hear the flick of his nail." [27:18]

This recurrent vision blurs the lines between reality and fear, leaving Dean with lingering anxiety and vivid nightmares.

6. Childhood Encounter at the All-You-Can-Eat Buffet

Timestamp: [27:34] - [33:57]

In a climactic return to Dean's early years, he recounts a terrifying incident from his childhood at a local buffet. While at lunch with family and friends, two seemingly friendly women approach their table, presenting gifts purportedly from "Princess Kate." The situation takes a sinister turn as the women lead Dean and his grandfather to a white van under the guise of bestowing them with "gifts."

Upon reaching the van, the leader brandishes a real sword and initiates a bizarre ceremony of knighting them as "Knights of God." Despite the initial fear, the ceremony concludes without violence, leaving Dean and his grandfather to ponder the true intentions of the women.

Dean: "Was I knighted by a murderer?" [33:57]

This unsettling experience raises questions about the nature of the women and whether their actions were part of a larger, more ominous plan.

Conclusion

Episode 197 of Scary Stories and Rain masterfully intertwines multiple chilling narratives, each exploring themes of fear, the supernatural, and the unknown. Through personal anecdotes and eerie encounters, the episode emphasizes the thin veil between everyday life and the inexplicable horrors that lurk just beyond perception. Notable quotes, such as Dean's reflections on safety and skepticism, deepen the listener's engagement, making the stories both relatable and spine-tingling.

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